Electromagnetic contactor



Dec. 23, 1958 v. G. KRENKE 2,866,029

ELECTROMAGNETIC CONTACTOR Filed Oct. 28, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.l.

Insulation WITNESSES 6 INVENTOR L Vmcent G. Krenke Mam ATTORNEY Dec. 23, 1958 v. G. KRENKE 2,866,029

ELECTROMAGNETIC CONTACTOR Filed Oct. 28, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.3.

United States PatentO Z,866,il29

ELECTROMAGNETHC CONTACTOR Vincent George Krenlkc, Granger, Ind, assignor to Westlnghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application @ctober 28, 1955, Serial No. 543,474

2 Claims. {QL 200-98) This invention relates to contactors and more particularly to contactors which are mechanically held in the closed position.

An object of the invention is to provide an electromagnetic contactor embodying means automatically operable upon closing of the contactor to hold said contactor in the closed position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electromagnetic contactor embodying means for mechanically holding the contactor closed with means for manually tripping the contactor open.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electromagnetic contactor embodying means for mechanically holding the contactor closed in which electromagnetic means is provided for tripping the contactor open.

The invention, both as to structure and operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description thereof when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of an electro magnetic contactor embodying the principles of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the contactor shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but shown partly broken away for clearness.

The invention is illustrated as applied to a contactor of the type fully disclosed and claimed in application Serial No. 340,862, filed March 6, 1953, by Vincent G. Krenke and Delbert Ellis, now Patent No. 2,763,821, issued September 18, 1956, and assigned to the assignee of the instant invention.

Referring to the drawings the contactor comprises generally spaced stationary contacts 11, a movable bridging contact member 13, electromagnetic means 15 for actuating the movable bridging contact member, and latch mechanism indicated generally at 17 for mechanically holding the movable bridging contact member 13 in the closed position, all of which parts are mounted on a base plate 19 whereby the contactor may be mounted on a suitable supporting structure.

A plurality of pairs of stationary contacts 11 is provided, each contact 11 being secured by means of a screw 21 to an insulating contact support member 23 which, in turn, is rigidly mounted on the base plate 19 by screws 25.

The electromagnet 15 comprises an E-shaped magnet yoke 27 rigidly secured to the base plate 19 by screws 29, an energizing coil 31 surrounding the center leg of the E- shaped magnet yoke and held in place by spring members 33. and a moving armature 35. A bracket 37 rigidly secured to the armature 35 by means of a bolt 39 and nut 41, has an upwardly extending portion 43 upon which is mounted an insulating member 45 mounting the bridging contact members 13 for movement into and out of engagement with the spaced stationary contacts 11. The bracket 43, the armature 35 and the contact carrier member 45 2,866,029 Patented Dec. 23, 1958 ICC are mounted for movement on upper and lower bearing arms 47 and 49 respectively which engage bearing edges on a bearing plate 51 rigidly secured to the base plate 19. The opposite ends of the bearing arms 47 and 49 engage suitable bearing surfaces on the bracket 37. Springs 53 are provided to maintain proper bearing engagement of the bearing arms 47 and 49 with the bearings on the bearing plate 51 and those on the bracket 37. The springs 53 also serve to bias the armature structure to the unattracted or open contact position.

When the coil 31 is energized, the armature 35 including the bracket 37 and the movable contact support member 45 are moved upwardly to engage the bridging contact members 13 with their corresponding spaced fixed contacts 11. As is fully disclosed in the aforementioned patent application, the bridging contact members 1.3 may be reversed so that they normally close the circuit through the spaced fixed contacts 11 and open the circuit upon movement of the contact carrier 45 by energization of the electromagnet 15. Upon deenergization of the magnet 15 the armature 35 and the moving contact carrier 45 are moved downwardly by the force of gravity and by the action of the springs 53, moving the bridging members 13 to the open contact position.

The contactor may be operated by momentary energization of the magnet 15 and latched in theoperated position by the latch mechanism 17 so that upon deenergization of the magnet the armature 35 and the contact carrier 45 are mechanically held in the operated position. An E-shaped tripping magnet yoke 55 has rearwardly extending arms 57 (only one being shown) which are rigidly secured to the main portion of the magnet yoke 27, thus rigidly mounting the magnet yoke 55 on the front of the magnet yoke 27. The lower leg 59 ot the magnet yoke 55 is somewhat longer than the upper arm 61 and pivotally supports an armature 63. A portion 65 of the armature 63 extends downwardly through an opening in the lower leg 59 of the magnet yoke and a spring 67 compressed between spring guides on the leg 59 and on the formed over end of the portion 65 biases the armature 63 counterclockwise about its pivot. An energizing coil 69 surrounds and is supported on the center leg of the magnet yoke 55. A latch bar 71 is rigidly mounted on a U-shaped bracket 73 which is rigidly mounted on the armature bracket 37 by means of rivets 75 and is movable with the armature bracket 37.

When the electromagnet 15 is energized, the armature 35, the armature bracket 37, the contact carrier 45 and the latch bracket 73 move upwardly as a unit to operate the contacts. Near the end of the upward movement a latch shoulder 77 on' the latch bar 71 clears the upper or free end of the armature 63 whereupon the spring 67 moves the armature 63 counterclockwise positioning the free end of the armature beneath the latch shoulder 77 when it is efiective to mechanically hold the entire movable armature structure in the operated position when the magnet 15 is deenergized.

The mechanism is unlatched either by energization of the tripping coil 69, which may be effected from a remote point, or by operating a manual release button 79 which is mounted directly on the armature 63. Energization of the tripping coil 69 causes the armature 63 to be attracted to the position shown in Fig. 3, disengaging the free end of the armature from the latching shoulder 77 after which the armature structure returns to its lower position in the manner previously described. The same result is obtained by manually pressing the button 79 which effects manual disengagement of the free end of the armature 63 from the latch shoulder 77 on the latch bar 71.

It will be seen that the invention provides an electroof an electromagnet which may be effected from a remote point, the moving parts of the contactor being mechanically held in operated position following deenergization of the electromagnet by suitable latch means. The contactor is released to permit restoration of the moving parts to the unoperated position by energization of a tripping magnet, which may also be effected from a remote point, or by manual operation of the latch means.

Having described the invention in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

1 claim as my invention:

1. An electromagnetic contactor comprising stationary and movable contact means, an electromagnet for operating said movable contact means comprising a fixedly mounted magnet yoke, an energizing winding and a movable contact operating armature, energization of said winding causing rectilinear movement of said contact operating armature to one position, a U-shaped bracket rigidly mounted on and movable with said contact operating armature and extending around the end of said magnet yoke, a latch member rigidly mounted on said bracket and movable with said contact operating armature, a tripping magnet comprising an lE-shaped magnet yoke mounted on one end of said fixed magnet yoke within said U-shaped bracket, a tripping coil for energizing said tripping magnet, a latching armature pivotally mounted on said tripping magnet yoke and biased to engage said latch member within said U-shaped bracket when said contact operating armature is operated to said one position, and energization of said tripping coil causing said latching armature to disengage said latch member to permit movement of said contact operating armature to a second position and manual means supported on said latching armature for manually disengaging said latching armature.

2. An electromagnetic contactor comprising stationary and movable contact means, an electromagnet for operating said movable contact means comprising an E-shaped magnet yoke having one leg rigidly mounted on a fixed support member, an energizing winding, and a movable contact operating armature, energization of said winding causing movement of said contact operating armature from one position to another position, bracket means supporting said contact operating armature for rectilinear movement, a contact carrying member mounted on said bracket and supporting said movable contact means, a U-shaped bracket rigidly mounted on and movable with said contact operating armature and extending around the other end of said E-shaped magnet yoke, a latch member rigidly mounted on said U-S1l9.Pd bracket means, said armature, said contact carrying member and said latch member all being supported on and movable with said bracket means, a tripping magnet comprising an E-shaped magnet yoke rigid with the other leg of said first mentioned E-I-shaped magnet yoke within said U-shaped bracket, latch means operable by said tripping magnet and biased to engage said latch member when said contact operating armature is moved to said other position to mechanically hold said contact carrying member and said contact operating armature in said other position, said latch means being enclosed in said U-shaped bracket and operable by energization of said tripping magnet to release said contact operating armature and permit it to return to said one position and manual means supported on said latch means for manually releasing said latch means.

References (Cited in the file of this patent UNETED STATES PATENTS 457,572 Bergmann Aug. 11, 1891 936,329 Lacke Oct. 12, 1909 1,476,013 Holtz Dec. 4, 1923 1,731,580 Knaak Oct. 15, 1929 1,749,566 Crichton Mar. 4, 1930 1,959,868 Larson May 22, 1934 2,310,056 Bendz Feb. 2, 1943 2,329,016 Van Valkenburg Sept. 7, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 292,227 Switzerland July 31, 1953 

